Jettison mechanism for missile launcher system



June 10, 1969 3,448,655.

JETTISON MECHANISM FOR MISSILE LAUNCHER SYSTEM Filed Feb. 14, 1968 M. C. NEUMAN ETAL S & MNF H N .9 WW m 1, ll wum m J. L2 H II 1 2 MR III Mm June 10, 1969 M. CfNEUMAN ETAL 3,

JETTISON MECHANISM FOR MISSILE LAUNCHER SYSTEM Sheet Filed Feb. 14, 1968 mOIm w zwmzz June 10, 1969 M. c. NEUMAN ETAL 3,448,655

JETTISON MECHANISM FOR MISSILE LAUNCHER SYSTEM Sheet 3 of? Filed Feb. 14, 1968 3,448,655 JETTISON MECHANISM FOR MISSILE LAUNCHER SYSTEM Filed Feb. 14, 1968 June 10, 1969 M. CQNEUMAN ETAL Sheet R ER June 10, 1969 M. c. NEUMAN ETAL 3,448,655

JETTISON MECHANISM FOR MISSILE LAUNCHER SYSTEM Filed Feb. 14. 1968 Sheet 5 of 7 FIG. 8

CREEPAGE 3,448,655 JE'ITISON MECHANISM FOR MISSILE LAUNCHER SYSTEM Filed Feb. 14, 1958 June 10, 1969 M. c. NEUMAN ETAL W S \N A [.Fl/ 90$ Ir June 10, 96 M. c. NEUMAN ETAL 3,448,655. JETTISON MECHANISM FOR MISSILE LAUNCHER SYSTEM Filed Feb. 14, 1968 Sheet 7 /r 44 United States Patent 3,448,655 JETTISON MECHANISM FOR MISSILE LAUNCHER SYSTEM Milton C. Neuman, Minneapolis, and Roger H. Wietholf, Wayzata, Minn., assignors, by mesne assignments, to the United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy Filed Feb. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 705,448 Int. Cl. F41f 3/04 US. Cl. 891.8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A mechanism associated with the launcher guide arm of a missile launching system which is manually initiated to jettison a missile which for any reason fails to leave the launcher guide arm after a predetermined interval of time. It consists of a hydraulically operated piston, a jettison track and the hydraulic valves and electrical switches needed to engage the stalled missile and jettison it. When the operator activates the jettison system the forward latch on the guide arm unlocks, the launcher guide rail retracts, and control transmitters generate signals to train and elevate the launcher guide to the proper position for jettisoning. With the launcher guide arm aimed outboard, the operator pushes a panel button. This causes a pneumatically and hydraulically operated piston in the guide arm to propel the unwanted missile overboard.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The system of which this invention is a part is described in patent application Ser. No. 493,283, filed Oct. 5, 1965, now Patent No. 3,367,234.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention This invention relates to missile launcher systems, and more particularly to that portion of the system relating to the launcher guide arm and the jettisoning mechanism carried by the guide arm and used to jettison dud missiles.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART Missile launcher systems are not new and dud jettisoning mechanisms have been used in connection with the launcher systems before. However, these mechanisms have lacked the coupling with the launcher guide arm to give automatic training and elevation to the guide arm just previous to jettisoning the dud'missile. Where the jettisoning mechanism is a separate and distinct apparatus which must be brought into position to operate on the dud missile and where the guide arm must be elevated and trained to position the arm so that the missile is directed outboard, the operation is timely and in-terruptive of the cycle of firing, in that the controls must be shifted from semi-automatic to manual, the train and elevation changed and the jettisoning mechanism be brought into use.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION To provide a dud jettisoning mechanism associated with and carried by the launcher guide arm is to have the jettisoning mechanism at the place where it can engage the unfired missile and rid the arm of the missile without the coordinating of the launcher arm with a mechanism which is not part of the guide arm. To have the jettisoning mechanism work in combination with the guide arm is to make the operation of getting rid of the unwanted missile semi-automatic. With the guide arm positioned broadside, the dud-jettisoning mechanism is manually initiated and the operation of jettisoning carried out.

An object of the present invention is to provide in cooperation with the launcher guide arm of the missile launching system, a dud jettisoning mechanism which will be semiautomatic in operation and which will function to rid the guide arm of a missile which does not fire.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hydraulically operated piston which will engage the dud missile, while on the launcher guide arm and which will upon manual initiation move the missile overboard.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a dud jettisoning mechanism completely housed within the confines of the launcher guide arm and which is readily available, within seconds, to be put into operation to rid the guide arm of the unfired missile.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the jettison mechanism with its relation to the retractable rail and the guide arm. (-FIG. 1 shows the missile ejected toward the left of the drawing while the other figures show the ejection to the right.)

FIG. 2 shows the launcher guide arm extended and the missile about to be filed in the normal manner, the jettisoning mechanism not being used.

FIG. 3 is a cross section through the retractable rail.

FIG. 4 is a cross section through the beam and beam track showing the beam rollers.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing the retractable rail in retracted position, the missile on the rail,

the yoke receiver engaging the crossbar of the jettison shafts and the jettison mechanism about to function.

FIG. 6 is a cross section through the retractable rail showing the jettison shaft retracted latch and the missile shoe engaging latch.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 5 showing the retractable rail retracted, the jettison mechanism extended, after operation, and the missile leaving the retractable rail, the latch still in contact with the missile shoe.

'FIG. 8 shows, in spaced relationship which is not the actual spacing, the missile shoe engaging latch, the engagement of the yoke-shaped receiver with the crossbar of the jettison shafts, the cam operation which releases the spring loaded valve controlling the main throttle valve and the beam latch.

FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view of the hollow piston, the piston spud and the main throttle valve.

FIG. 10 shows the missile launching system showing the magazine, the magazine supported guide arm and the retractable rail with the jettison shafts.

Referring to the drawings in detail where, like numbers indicate like parts throughout the several views, the missile launching system is shown in FIG. 10 in which a magazine 12 houses missiles each in a vertical position and supports on its top, a missile launching guide arm 13 pivotally mounted between trunnions 14. The guide arm receives the missiles directly from the magazine and supports them on a retractable rail 15. At the end of this rail, jettison shafts 16 and 17 may be seen. The jettison mechanism is carried and housed entirely by the launcher guide arm 13. The main components of the jettison mechanism are the jettison piston assembly, the beam track, the beam latch, the jettison shafts, and a piston extended indicator. Other parts such as hydraulic pumps and valves, accumulator tanks and electrical switches are parts which are necessary to the operation but which are purchased for use and form no part of the invention other than the accepted use for which they were sold.

Referring to FIG. 1, the guide arm 13 is shown in dotted outline only mainly to position the parts of the jettison mechanism with relation to the arm. It is here (FIG. 1) shown with the missile discharging to the left of the drawing, while the other views are all shown with the missile discharging to the right of the drawing. Forming a part of the guide arm, a housing 18, the extreme end of which is shown here, encloses a hollow piston 19 (FIG. 9), to which the beam 21 is attached. This piston is actuated by manually closing a switch which starts fluid pumps sending fluid into the interior of the piston under high pressure through a piston spud 20 to move the piston throughout its stroke. Attached to the head of the piston 19 the beam 21 extends in a line with the piston between beam tracks 22. Rollers 23 (FIG. 4) carried by the beam maintain the beam in the tracks throughout its travel.

The rollers 23 are mounted in pairs and ride inside the tracks under movement of the piston. When the piston is in retracted position the beam end 21 is substantially even with the end of the guide arm while when the piston is extended the beam end projects beyond the end of the guide arm. The beam has a yoke shapeed (crossbar) receiver 20 which moves with the beam and when the retractable rail is in retarcted position the yoke shaped receiver engages the crossbar 44 of the jettison shafts 16 and 17. The beam is formed with a recess 28 (FIG. 2) which is on the opposite side of the beam from the yoke shaped receiver and is adapted to receive the latch 25 to prevent movement of the beam, and lock the beam in the retracted position. The beam further carries a creep control valve cam 26 which is located at the piston end of the beam and when the piston starts its movement, the cam moves out from under the plunger linkage of the spring loaded creepage control valve 27 to allow the spring 35 to extend the creepage control valve piston.

The creepage control valve 27 is mounted on the forward end of the housing 18. The rod end 29 of the valve piston is linked to a roller 32 which engages the cam 26. At the start of piston movement or jettison, the roller drops off the cam to allow the spring 33 to extend the valve piston. The exact hydraulic connections will not be explained or followed as they function only for the purposes which will be described.

The main check valve 35 (FIG. 9) and the throttle valve 36 are contained within a single bore 37 within the housing 18. When the jettison mechanism is in operation they act together as a throttle valve.

Valve 41 controls the porting of hydraulic fluid from the check valve 42, as the piston creeps forward under fluid pressure. This valve is a spring loaded, needle type valve located in the aft section of the piston housing 18.

The beam track guides the beam 21 during its forward jettisoning motion and during its retraction. This track is made up of two U-shaped channels 22 mounted on the launcher guide arm. These channels extend from the piston housing to the forward end of the guide arm and are formed with inside runways to receive the rollers 23.

The beam latch 25 locks the beam in retracted position. It is located on the forward portion of the launcher guide arm and consists of a latch housing and the necessary mechanisms to move the latch into and out of locking position.

The jettison shafts 16 and 17 are mounted for sliding movement in the retractable rail and extend from the forward end of that rail. At the forward end, a crossbar 44 connects the two shafts 16 and 17 and is adapted to be engaged b ythe yoke shaped receiver of the beam upon the retraction of the retractable rail. Each of these shafts has a jettison pawl 45, which is swung to missile forward shoe 46 engaging position by a fixed actuator 47 in the retractable rail (FIG. 8), as the shafts are moved forward upon movement of the piston 19, acting through the beam and the yoke shaped receiver 20'. The shafts are engaged by a latch 48 when the retractable rail is in extended position. This latch is provided with a cam slot which is engaged by an actuating pin to move the latch into jettison shafts releasing position when the rail is in retracted position.

In the operation, when a missile refuses to fire and is on the launcher guide arm, the operator manually actuates the switch which opens the valves 35 and 36. The nitrogen fluid entering through the piston spud 20 acts against the head of the piston and moves the piston forward together with the beam. At the same time or just slightly previous, the retractable rail is retracted and the latch 48 released. Also the latch 25 is released from the recess 28 in the beam, and the yoke shaped receiver engages the crossbar 44. Also at this time the creep movement has started and the piston moving, through this control, has brought the pawl 45 first into engagement with the stud 47 and just after that to the forward missile shoe 46. Sudden movement of the piston now sends the missile off of the launcher guide arm. Previously, at the initiation of the piston creepa-ge, the arm has automatically trained and elevated to a position that will direct the missile overboard.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a missile launching system having a magazine housing a plurality of missiles in a vertical position, the magazine supporting a launcher guide arm adapted to be trained and elevated and having a retractable rail supporting a missile, the combination of the guide arm with a dud jettisoning mechanism, said mechanism comprising:

a piston housing secured to the guide arm;

a movable piston mounted for reciprocation in said housing;

a beam secured to the end of the piston and extending therefrom;

beam diode tracks mounted on the guide arm and supporting the beam during its movement;

a yoke shaped receiver carried by and extending normal from the beam;

a pair of jettison shafts slidably mounted in the retractable rail of the guide arm;

a crossarm connected across the extended ends of the jettison shafts adapted to receive the yoke shaped receiver of the beam and to be actuated by said beam through the yoke shaped receiver; and

a retractable pawl mounted on said jettison shafts adapted to engage the forward shoe of the missile, upon retraction of the retractable rail, and upon movement of the piston through the beam and jettison shafts to urge the missile to leave the retractable rail.

2. In a missile launching system having a magazine storing missiles each in a vertical position and supporting a launcher guide arm, the combination of the launcher guide arm having a retractable rail with a jettisoning mechanism comprising:

a piston housing secured to the guide arm;

a movable hollow piston mounted for reciprocation in said housing;

a piston spud located inwardly of the hollow piston and carrying hydraulic fluid under controlled pressure to the head of the piston;

a beam attached to the head of the piston and forming an extension forwardly of the piston;

a beam track secured to the guide arm and extending from the piston housing to the extremity of the guide arm, said track located on each side of the beam;

a yoke receiver attached to and moving with the beam extending from the beam in the direction of the missile; the retractable rail forming part of the guide arm supporting the missile on the launching track and adapted 5 to be retracted to a position adjacent the yoke receiver;

a pair of jettison shafts slidably supported in the retractable rail and carrying a retractable pawl adapted to engage a missile shoe upon movement of the jettison shafts; and

a crossarm connecting the ends of the jettison shafts and adapted to receive the yoke receiver so that longitudinal movement of the beam will be transmitted to the jettison shafts and through the shafts to the missile shoe engaging pawl, so that movement of the piston will result in movement of the missile along the retractable rail.

3. A jettison mechanism according to claim 2 wherein the jettison shafts are provided with a retractable latch to prevent movement of the shafts when the retractable rail is in extended position.

4. A jettison mechanism according to claim 2 and including a creepage mechanism adapted upon actuation References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,831,399 4/1958 Meekins et a1. 89-1.8 3,086,423 4/1963 Chamberlin et a1. 89l.8 X 3,093,034 6/1963 Wermager et a1. 891.8 X

SAMUEL W. ENGLE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 89-47 

